Aug 2014
29
How to simplify your communications duties in auto-enrolment
Many employers do not realise the amount of work involved in the communications aspect of auto-enrolment. In a recent study, it was revealed that communicating the changes proved to be the most challenging aspect post-staging date, with 19% of employers struggling with communicating changes to employees.
Many payroll software providers are updating their software to assist with auto-enrolment; however very few of them perform communication duties. When deciding on payroll software, employers sometimes forget to consider whether or not it caters for communications. By choosing payroll software that helps with communications, it can make the auto-enrolment process much easier for employers.
With auto-enrolment, you need to write to each member of staff individually depending on their employee category. Eligible jobholders, non-eligible jobholders and entitled workers all have different rights, and so each must receive different letters outlining their entitlements.
If postponement is used, you must also write to the postponed employees to notify them. Furthermore, if you already have a qualifying pension scheme in place you still need to write to staff members who are in the scheme to let them know that they are not affected. After staging, you must also monitor employees and communicate with any employee who becomes eligible for auto-enrolment for the first time or any new starters who are eligible.
It is your responsibility to make sure the right information gets to the right member of staff at the right time. There are time limits in place to ensure that employees have sufficient time to gather information on auto-enrolment so that they can make a well-informed decision.
The necessary communication required can be extremely time-consuming if left to do it on your own. However, by having payroll software that has the necessary letters ready to print for each individual it can make your job much easier.
